Britrail Pass.....

[Mark J]

So let me get this right, Britrail Passes are NOT available for UK residents? Only tourists from the rest of the world?

If so, it proves once again how badly we are "ripped off".

The "Standard Class" prices listed on "The Trainline": https://www.thetrainline.com/deals-discounts/rail-passes/brit-rail-pass

3 Days Pass: £116
4 Days Pass : £144
8 Days Pass : £208
15 Days Pass : £309
22 Days Pass : £386
1 Month Pass: £455

Whereby we (UK residents) can purchase "All Line Rovers", at a cost of:

7 days: £510 (16-25, 60+, HM, disabled Railcard discount: £336.60)
14 days: £772 (16-25, 60+, HM, disabled Railcard discount: £509.50)

The costs of which are well over 50% more EXPENSIVE (with a day less) than the equivalent Britrail Pass.

All line: 7 days: £510 - Britrail: 8 days £208 - Difference: £302 (59.2%)
All line: 14 days: £772 - Britrail: 15 days £309 - Difference: £463 (60%)

Even a one Britrail month pass, with over double the validity, is £317 cheaper than a 14 day All Line Rover.

With Railcard discounts the prices are still more expensive.

I'm all for promoting tourism, however this really does take the mickey somewhat.

 

[6Gman]

So let me get this right, Britrail Passes are NOT available for UK residents? Only tourists from the rest of the world?

If so, it proves once again how badly we are "ripped off".

No it doesn't.

It's a niche product for a niche market, which is priced at what's considered the appropriate price.

 

[Mark J]

No it doesn't.

It's a niche product for a niche market, which is priced at what's considered the appropriate price.

The All Line Rover is a "niche" product too, so why isn't at a similar price?

 

[6Gman]

The All Line Rover is a "niche" product too, so why isn't at a similar price?

Because it would be used differently.

 

[Clip]

The All Line Rover is a "niche" product too, so why isn't at a similar price?

the britrail pass is to encourage visitors to see the reat of the country and the alr is mainly for people who want to cover as much track as possible

 

[causton]

The All Line Rover is a "niche" product too, so why isn't at a similar price?

The same reason ALRs have time restrictions on these days. Because people would use them for long distance business trips and not leisure as they are intended for!

 

[kristiang85]

I don't mind tourists getting cheaper rail passes; at the end of the day, they will contribute a lot of cash to the economy in a relatively short time, and encourages them to spread this beyond just London.

Its the same in Japan (frequently held up as the bastion of customer service on the railways) - the tourist passes are much cheaper than for locals, and indeed it does wonders for helping tourists get beyond Tokyo.

 

[6Gman]

The same reason ALRs have time restrictions on these days. Because people would use them for long distance business trips and not leisure as they are intended for!

Exactly.

Typically Britrail passes are used more sparingly than the ALRs. Other than a few railway enthusiasts most overseas visitors don't want to spend their days on trains for the sake of it, they just want an easy way to travel London - York - Edinburgh - Bath - Bicester Village - London (or whatever) over the course of a week or ten days.

 

[tiptoptaff]

To compare like for like, you'd need to compare the prices of similar Inter-rail passes rather than ALRs. A one month Inter-rail pass is £580 for travel in the majority of European countries compared to £455 for a one month pass to only travel in Britain.

It's not exactly unreasonable compared to the product intended for the same purpose for UK residents.

 

[_toommm_]

Exactly.

Typically Britrail passes are used more sparingly than the ALRs. Other than a few railway enthusiasts most overseas visitors don't want to spend their days on trains for the sake of it, they just want an easy way to travel London - York - Edinburgh - Bath - Bicester Village - London (or whatever) over the course of a week or ten days.

Or if youre a Russian coming to Salisbury to look at the cathedral...

 

[6Gman]

Or if youre a Russian coming to Salisbury to look at the cathedral...

123 metres tall you know!

(Though perhaps we shouldn't really joke about it.)